What happened
On 27 December 2019, a Fokker 100 aircraft, operated by a local airline, crashed shortly after takeoff from Almaty Airport in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The aircraft was on a domestic flight carrying 93 passengers and 5 crewmembers. The impact with a building during the accident resulted in 12 fatalities and 3/5 of the occupants sustained serious injuries.
In the Netherlands, the 2019 period saw various other notable events, including a mid-air collision between two Piper Super Cup aircraft during formation flight practice, which resulted in 2 deaths. Additionally, a TL-3000 Sirius ultralight aircraft flipped during landing at Middenmeer airfield, causing the pilot to strike the canopy.
The investigation
The Republic of Kazakhstan's Accident Investigation Commission is leading the inquiry into the Fokker 100 crash. Because the aircraft was designed and manufactured in the Netherlands, the Dutch Safety Board is participating in the investigation alongside experts from Fokker Services B.V. and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Regarding the Dutch general aviation sector, the Dutch Safety Board reviewed several incidents, including a near-collision between a helicopter and a business jet near Rotterdam The Hague Airport, and a runway excursion involving a British Aerospace Jetstream 32 in Germany.
Findings
In the Kazakhstan accident, the investigation is ongoing. However, related findings in other 2019 occurrences highlighted specific technical and procedural risks:
- A Fokker 100 experienced a loss of airspeed during approach due to moderate turbulence and a failure by the crew to apply thrust promptly.
- A TL-ULTRALIGHT Stream experienced an accidental parachute deployment because the passenger applied force to the activation lever while attempting to remove a locking pin.
- Maintenance-related risks were identified in a previous Fokker 70 incident, where the use of an incorrect lockout bolt prevented the detection of a thrust reverser issue.
Safety action
Following an investigation into a glider canopy fracture, the local gliding club recommended clearer instructions for securing safety belts and improved training regarding pilot positioning.